St. Joseph County, IN Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- RV must be owned by
- The resident occupying the property
- Guest RV lodging cap
- 72 hours in any 30-day period
- Prohibited use
- RV as a bedroom, playroom or storage
- Mobile homes
- Barred except as approved temporary use
- Front-yard parking
- Requires type 2 full screening landscaping
Summary
St. Joseph County limits where a stored recreational vehicle, trailer or mobile home can sit on residential and agricultural lots and caps a visiting guest's RV stay at 72 hours in any 30-day period. Zoning ordinance § 154.079 requires the vehicle to belong to the resident, be screened or set back, and never be used as a dwelling.
(C)Recreational vehicles shall be subject to the following development standards:(1)Stored on real estate occupied by the owner of the trailer;(2)Shall be located:(a)Inside a permanent fully enclosed structure;(b)Behind the front building line; or(c)Between the front building line and minimum front yard, screened from view from the right-of-way with type 2: full screening landscaping as defined in section 154.331.(3)Shall not be located in any minimum yard.(4)Secured and no time used for a dwelling unit, extra bedroom, playroom or storage place for items not normally contained in the recreational vehicle when in use.(D)A recreational vehicle belonging to a guest of the occupant of a dwelling in an agricultural district or residential district may be parked and occupied for lodging purposes on the same lot as the dwelling but not for more than 72 hours in a 30-day period.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
079 treats mobile homes, trailers, recreational vehicles and tents as a single group of uses that the county keeps out of everyday residential life. Mobile homes cannot be parked, stored or occupied for dwelling or lodging purposes unless approved as a temporary use, and trailers and mobile homes cannot be used as accessory buildings on the same terms. 331. It cannot sit in any minimum yard, and it cannot be used, even temporarily, as a dwelling unit, extra bedroom, playroom or storage space while parked.
A separate allowance lets a guest's RV be parked and occupied for lodging on the same lot as a host dwelling in an agricultural or residential district, but never more than 72 hours within a 30-day period. Tents are barred for dwelling or lodging purposes except under a permit for specific time-limited uses like carnivals, revival meetings, or Scout activities, and trailers owned by government agencies or health, research or educational institutions are exempt from the restrictive provisions altogether. 557.
Violations & Fines
A notice of zoning violation gives the owner ten days to bring the RV, trailer or mobile home into compliance before a citation can issue. A second notice or citation opens a 14-day window, in agricultural or residential districts, to pay the fine set in the county's schedule of fines and fees or appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my camper in my driveway in unincorporated St. Joseph County?
How long can a visiting relative park their RV and stay in it?
Can I live in a mobile home on my land while I build a house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Joseph County
How St. Joseph County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare St. Joseph County to another location·View the Indiana parking rules overview
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